Samoa government to curtail travel concessions for pensioners

The Samoa government is to cut free boat travel for pensioners traveling on the government inter-island ferry between Samoa and American Samoa in a move to further streamline the costs of operating the senior citizens scheme.

The proposed cut is included in the new financial year budget which was tabled in parliament by the Minister of Finance, Niko Lee Hang, last week.

The Minister says the number of beneficiaries in the country has now reached 8,800.

And that, coupled with the length of time pensioners stay on the scheme as life expectancy rises, has prompted the axing of the free travel scheme.